Murray v Garcia-Lopez as it happened

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By David Ornstein

Andy Murray speaking to BBC Sport: "Today was good, he started off very well, he served well and was hitting the ball big on the forehand. After I got the first break I felt more comfortable and from then on it was good. I feel good. You want to come away from the tournament feeling you hit the ball well and moved well. I've felt good the first two matches and I hope to feel the same against Mardy. We know each other well and it will be a tough match. It's nice to have to whole crowd supporting you, it doesn't happen at too many tournaments. I expect a lot of myself and I'll try and do well over the next few weeks."

1540: Standing between Murray and a place in the semi-finals is Mardy Fish of the United States. Murray has won two and lost one of the pair previous three meetings but all of those were on the American hard courts. Both players are bang in form so their first grass-court meeting could be a belter.

Murray 6-4 6-4 Garcia-Lopez With an ability to up the ante seemingly at will, Murray cruises through to the quarter-finals with what the simplest of service holds. A couple of groundstrokes took the breath away and to finish with an ace was the icing on the cake. Game, set and match Murray.

Murray *6-4 5-4 Garcia-Lopez Down but not yet out, Garcia-Lopez sends down his third ace of the match to keep the score respectable. Murray will surely now serve out for victory.

Murray 6-4 5-3* Garcia-Lopez Murray moves to with a break of the match with another ruthless service game that leaves Garcia-Lopez chasing shadows. At times these two look as if they're putting on an exhibition match - both have aesthetically pleasing all-round games while there is a complete lack of edge out there on Centre Court.

Murray *6-4 4-3 Garcia-Lopez Touche. Garcia-Lopez delays the inevitable with a hold to love. He continues to work Murray from side-to-side, vary things up with the odd drop shot and unleash that rasping forehand when possible. Unfortunately for the Spaniard, he seems incapable of making an impression on the Murray serve.

Murray 6-4 4-2* Garcia-Lopez A hold to love. Bish, bash, bosh. You can't ask for much more than that. Murray's first serve is immense these days. His second is still a little scratchy and he will no doubt work hard on it before Wimbledon. But, all in all, the British number one looks in sensational form and fitness.

Murray *6-4 3-2 Garcia-Lopez This could be over sooner than expected after Murray decides to turn the screw and break to love. The reaction of his entourage suggests they know the match is now their man's for the taking. Murray moves to break point with a blistering backhand return down the line which Garcia-Lopez can get nowhere near. He then dictates a fairly lengthy rally from the baseline and finished with an inside-out forehand that Garcia Lopez fails to return.

Murray 6-4 2-2* Garcia-Lopez For those of you who watched Murray beat Seppi on Wednesday, you will remember his wonderful backspin lob that landed just inside the baseline and almost stopped dead. The 22-year-old produces another against Garcia-Lopez and you get the feeling that the early round of this tournament are just one big training session for Britain's finest.

Murray *6-4 1-2 Garcia-Lopez But faltering does not appear high on the Garcia-Lopez agenda and he holds just as comfortably as Murray. The world number 52 has a poor record against the top 10 but he has all the attributes to improve his ranking. That said, at 26 his career maybe on the way down rather than the way up.

Murray 6-4 1-1* Garcia-Lopez BBC Two commentator Mark Petchey tells us not to worry about smoke billowing out of the main Queen's Club building. Apparently a dishwasher has exploded... but everything looks to be ok. Meanwhile, Murray saves comfortably. Similarly to the opening set, it seems like Murray's keeping the service games ticking over and waiting for his opportunity to pounce if and when Garcia-Lopez falters.

Murray *6-4 0-1 Garcia-Lopez A set down against the top seed on home soil, it would be easy for Garcia-Lopez to crumble. But he continues to play positively and with aggression, wrapping up the first game of the second set with an ace.* Denotes next to serve

Murray 6-4* Garcia-Lopez There are a few oohs and aahs on Centre Court as Murray slips to 0-30. Surely we're not going to see an immediate break back? Murray scrambles his way to 30-30 and Garcia-Lopez nets tamely to give his opponent set point. Murray saves the best for last, producing a magnificent forehand cross-court to wrap up the first set.

Murray *5-4 Garcia-Lopez As Murray has shown so often in recent times, he has an ability to stick with his opponent while not necessarily playing his best tennis but then pounce like a lion when he gets a sniff. The Scot gets an opening when Garcia-Lopez gifts him a 0-30 lead and, although the Spaniard fights back to go 40-30 up, Murray levels at deuce. The world number three forces his first break point of the match and when Garcia-Lopez goes long we have our first break. Murray to serve for the first set.

Murray 4-4* Garcia-Lopez Murray is beginning to advance to the net more regularly, but with mixed results. The top seed goes 15-0 up by racing in and passing his opponent but then is out-thought during a terrific exchange at the net. He stays back to reassert his authority and the game is soon his.

Murray *3-4 Garcia-Lopez It is fair to say the Garcia-Lopez camp looks the more content from their court-side seats. They cheer enthusiastically as their man keeps his nose in front of the home favourite with a lovely hold. Garcia-Lopez is very pleasing on the eye, he has a super all-round game.

Murray 3-3* Garcia-Lopez Murray showed flashes of sheer brilliance against Andreas Seppi in round two and, while he is so far yet to scale such heights today, he is varying his game nicely. Murray is a physical power house these days and he overwhelms Garcia-Lopez with a couple of outstanding passing shots to stay on level terms. And the umpire's microphone is working again!

Murray *2-3 Garcia-Lopez Murray seems a little subdued and a couple of unforced errors, allied to Garcia-Lopez's sharp work both at the baseline and the net, prevent him from having a look-in on this occasion. There is a worrying moment from the Spaniard when he slips on the grass and appears to have hurt his knee, but he quickly recovers to see out the game.

I made a mistake with the previous score so refresh your page if you haven't already.

Murray 2-2* Garcia-Lopez Rather comically, the umpire's microphone has stopped working and he is having to shout rather loudly to make himself heard. Anyway, back to the action. Murray's fourth ace of the match contributes to a comfortable hold. Both men are impressing so far. This could be a cracker.

Murray *1-2 Garcia-Lopez Garcia-Lopez has a rather special forehand on him and it helps him race into a 40-15 lead. Murray unleashes a trademark forehand cross-court passing shot but out comes the Spaniard's laser-guided forehand once more to see him over the line.

Murray 1-1* Garcia-Lopez In the words of Mark Petchey on BBC Two, opening service games don't come much better than that. Two aces put Murray on track for a hold to love and it's a confident start from both men.

Murray *0-1 Garcia-Lopez A couple of sweetly-struck forehands take Garcia-Lopez to 30-0 but Murray takes his first point of the match with a volleyed backhand passing shot which lands just inside the baseline. The Spaniard volleys wide to make it 30-30 but Murray goes wide and then nets to concede the opening game.* Denotes next to serve

1421: Garcia-Lopez to serve first.

1420: Whoever wins this match will play Mardy Fish after the American beat Feliciano Lopez 6-1 6-4.

1416: The pair have never met before but Garcia-Lopez, currently ranked a career-high 52 in the world, is having a good year and should provide his Scottish opponent with a decent work-out.

He only has one tour title to Murray's 11 but that came this year in Kitzbuhel. The 26-year-old Spaniard has a game suited to grass and his second-round victory over Gilles Muller suggests he's no slouch.

1412: Getting excited about Wimbledon yet? The third Grand Slam of the season is almost upon us but as a warm-up act for SW19, the Aegon Championships at Queen's will do nicely.

Headlining today is Britain's Andy Murray, the world number three and top seed. Murray continues his bid for a first grass-court title against Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain and the players will be on Centre Court in not too long at all.

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